From agate to zircon, there are multiple stones and styles to choose from when you’re jewelry shopping. Jewelry is one big-ticket purchase that you don’t want to make without doing your research. A little knowledge will save you a great deal of time and ensure you get the best possible quality at the lowest price. We’ve put together an informative buying guide that covers everything you need to know about buying diamond engagement rings, gemstones and pearls.

Consider doing your jewelry shopping online. There are many advantages to shopping for jewelry at online stores: it’s quick, convenient, and you can easily compare prices at multiple stores in minutes. Because online stores don’t have the overhead of brick-and-mortar stores, you’ll find much lower prices.

Diamond Engagement Rings

The thought of purchasing a diamond ring is overwhelming to many grooms-to-be, faced with unfamiliar terms such as grading scales, colors, and inclusions. It’s essential to read up on diamond basics before you buy a ring, or you could end up paying too much or unknowingly purchasing low-quality bling.

Diamond Basics

You may have heard of the four Cs of diamonds. This refers to cut, clarity, color and carat weight. These are the criteria jewelers use to grade diamonds.

Cut: How brilliant a diamond is depends largely on the cut. Cut is not the same thing as shape (round, square, pear) but refers to the diamond’s reflective qualities. If a diamond is cut well, light can easily travel through the stone and reflect back, causing it to sparkle and flash. A poorly-cut diamond will allow light to ’leak’ out from the bottom or sides of the stone. Cut is graded into fair/poor, good, very good, premium, and ideal cut.

Clarity: Jewelers refer to the flaws on the outside of a diamond as blemishes, and those on the inside as inclusions. Inclusions may be air bubbles or cracks, while blemishes include chips and scratches. Inclusions occur while the diamond is forming, and blemishes occur during the cutting process. Most diamonds have flaws, and the fewer a diamond has, the rarer and more expensive it is.

Clarity is classified as:

• F: Flawless: No internal or external flaws.
• IF: Internally Flawless: No internal flaws, but some blemishes.
• VVS1-VVS2: Very Very Slightly Included. Inclusions are difficult to detect under magnification.
• VS1-VS2: Very Slightly Included. Inclusions are seen only with difficulty under magnification.
• SI1-SI2: Slightly Included. Inclusions are detected under magnification.
• I1-I2-I3: Included. Inclusions are visible under magnification and to the human eye.

Color: Color refers to the presence or absence of color in diamonds. The less color, the more valuable the diamond. To grade colorlessness or whiteness, jewelers use the GIA’s professional color scale. The color scale begins with the highest rating of D and continues to Z.

Carat: A carat is the unit used to weigh a diamond. One carat equals 200 milligrams (0.2 grams). Larger diamonds are rarer, and have a greater value per carat.

Money-Saving Diamond Engagement Ring Buying Tips

• Only buy a diamond engagement ring that comes with a GIA or AGS certificate. This document is proof of the diamond’s measurement, weight, and value. If your diamond ring doesn’t come with a certificate, you may be getting ripped off.
• Determine your budget before you go shopping, While the guideline is two months’ salary, this is not a rule. Don't let an overzealous salesperson talk you into spending more than you can afford.
• Watch for sales. You can save up to 50% on diamond engagement rings during holiday sales, Black Friday sales or summer clearance sales at jewelry retailers like Zales and Blue Nile.

Gemstone Jewelry Buying Guide

Gemstones are an incredibly popular form of jewelry, appearing in everything from earrings to rings. Gemstone jewelry dates back thousands of years and is thought to have healing properties. For example, the ruby is thought to increase energy and alleviate worry, while the sapphire supposedly has a calming effect.

Some common gemstones include:

• Agate
• Alexandrite
• Amethyst
• Aquamarine
• Citrine
• Crystal
• Emerald
• Garnet
• Jade
• Mother of Pearl
• Onyx
• Opal
• Peridot
• Rhodolite
• Ruby
• Sapphire
• Tanzanite
• Topaz

Precious or Semi-Precious Gemstones?

You’ll hear the terms “precious” and “non-precious” used when shopping for gemstones. Precious gemstones are reserved for rarer rocks, such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds. Non-precious gemstones are less expensive and include amethysts, opal, jade and topaz.

Money-Saving Gemstone Jewelry Buying Tips:

• Don’t get caught up in “precious” vs. “semi-precious” stones. A high quality semi-precious gemstone can be just as beautiful as a costly gemstone such as a sapphire or ruby.
• Don’t head straight for your local jewelry store. Many department stores such as Sears, Kohl’s and Macy’s now carry a wide range of gemstone jewelry at much lower prices.

Pearl Jewelry Buying Guide

Pearls have long been a symbol of elegance and glamor. A pearl is formed when an irritant (usually a piece of sand) gets lodged in an oyster’s shell. The oyster deposits layers of a semi-translucent substance around the sand that builds up over time, forming a pearl.

Pearls vary greatly in terms of size, color and shape. However, natural pearls are very rare and very expensive. Today, almost all pearl jewelry is made with cultured pearls. To create a cultured pearl, an irritant is inserted into an oyster, and once it has developed into a pearl, it is harvested.

Some of the most popular pearl varieties are:

• Cortez pearls
• Mabe pearls
• Akoya pearls
• Tahitian pearls
• South Sea pearls

Necklaces are still the most popular type of pearl jewelry today. There are many different styles of pearl necklaces, which vary in length, including bib, choker, princess, collar, matinee, opera and rope. However, pearl bracelets, earrings and rings are also commonly worn by women of all ages.

Money-Saving Pearl Jewelry Buying Tips:

First, determine your budget, and then work within it. The price of pearl jewelry varies greatly depending on the following criteria:

1. Luster: This is the most important factor, and refers to the intensity of reflections on the pearl’s surface. The closer to a mirror image you see in a pearl, the better the luster.
2. Size: The larger the pearls the greater the cost.
3. Similarity: This refers to how similar pearls are to one another, including colour, finish and shape. The more similar the pearls, the more you’ll pay.

Consider the person you’re buying jewelry for. It’s not all about price and luster. If your gift recipient likes larger, bolder jewelry, a standout choker or long pearl necklace might be a good fit. However, if they like understated jewelry, your money may be wasted on an expensive ornate piece. A small pair of pearl earrings or a delicate bracelet will be very affordable and equally appreciated by your loved one.

What to Look for When Jewelry Shopping:

Whether you’re buying a diamond ring or a gold necklace, there are a few key things you should look for in an online retailer.

• Return Policy: Never buy a piece of jewelry without carefully reading the return policy. Many sites offer a 30-day return policy, but some will charge you a re-stocking fee. If you don’t see a return policy clearly stated on the site, move on!
• Shipping Policy: It’s important to know how your item will be shipped. When you’re spending a lot of money on an item, you want to know which shipping company or service the store uses, and what their shipping insurance policy is.
• Lost or Damaged Items Policy: What happens if the $5,000 engagement ring you buy is lost? What if one of the earrings you purchase arrives cracked? These are all questions you need to answer before you click the ‘Buy’ button.